The increasing reliance on communication networks to transmit more complex data, such as voice and video traffic, is causing a very high demand for bandwidth. To resolve this demand for bandwidth, communications networks are relying upon optical fiber to transmit this complex data. Conventional communication architectures that employ coaxial cables are slowly being replaced with communication networks that comprise only fiber optic cables. One advantage that optical fibers have over coaxial cables is that a much greater amount of information can be carried on an optical fiber.
While fiber-to-the-home systems using optical signals offer significant benefits in communication bandwidth over traditional coaxial cable systems, some FTTH systems still have some minor drawbacks that are common with coaxial cable systems. At some location proximate to the subscriber, the optical signals of an FTTH system must be converted to the electrical domain so that subscriber equipment such as televisions, telephones, and computers can be used. However, many conventional TV sets operating alone cannot do all the things necessary to support modem services. For instance, they usually cannot receive digital signals, nor can they descrambled programming. This can be troublesome for both FTTH systems and coaxial cable systems.
Once the optical signals of an FTTH system are converted into the electrical domain, additional electrical signal processing may be required for most conventional televisions. Most conventional televisions cannot handle digital video programming. In order to alleviate these signal processing problems, a service provider must provide a set-top box that can process the digital video programming and that can convert the digital video programming into a format that can be used by a television (TV) set.
These set top boxes can create many problems for the service provider. One problem is that the service provider has limited access to any equipment that may be located within a subscriber's premises. Therefore, a service provider often must have its service personnel coordinate with subscribers in order to gain access to equipment, such as the set top box, that may be located within the subscriber's premises.
Another problem with conventional set top boxes is that they usually contain very complex signal processing equipment. And because of this complex signal processing equipment, the set top boxes are usually very expensive. Because a subscriber has constant access to a set top box, it may become more susceptible to physical abuse or excessive wear and tear compared to equipment that may not be accessible to a subscriber. Another drawback of set top boxes is that they can be very large and at times, not aesthetically pleasing to the subscriber's premises. Another problem with set top boxes is that one is needed for each television component attempting to tune channels, such as TVs and Video Cassette Recorders (VCRs).
Accordingly, a need exists in the art to reduce the signal processing circuitry of set top boxes which, in turn, will likely decrease their size and cost. There is also a need in the art to eliminate set top boxes entirely so that service providers' equipment ends or terminates at locations outside of a subscriber's premises. A further need exists in the art to reduce exposure of complex signal processing circuitry to excessive wear and tear made by subscribers by positioning the circuitry in a permanent enclosure that is located outside of the subscriber's premises and is accessible only by the service provider's personnel.